Miski Osman: Identity, work and investment in East Africa ^{CEFR B1}

A recent project, supported by the African Union Media Fellowship, International Consulting Expertise and the European Union, collected interviews with Somali diasporans in Mogadishu and Nairobi. The fellowship, run by the African Union Information and Communication Directorate, aims to change common narratives about Africa. The published series focuses on migration, culture, creative art, community activism and international cooperation, and it includes a long conversation with Miski Osman about identity, career and regional impact.

Miski’s life crossed Europe and East Africa. Born in Sweden and raised in the United Kingdom, she first visited Mogadishu in 2015 for two weeks. That visit extended to six months and then she lived and worked in Mogadishu for four years, working with the Federal Government of Somalia on governance, resilience and security projects. By 2020 she moved to Nairobi to work at a regional level, attracted by the city’s role as a hub for international organisations.

In January 2024 Miski became Project Governance Manager at UNOPS in Sierra Leone. Her work in Somalia gave her a first‑hand understanding of complex political and social realities and changed earlier assumptions about Somali identity. She now invests in real estate and petroleum in Nairobi and sees the Somali diaspora in Kenya as economically significant while keeping strong community ties. Her key lessons include adaptability, resilience, representation and giving back to community.